A Hero Comes Home
by Bad Mittens
Summary: Following his travels in Termina and the lands abroad, Link returns home to Hyrule to claim the peaceful life he never had. But over the two years he's been gone, the kingdom has broke into rebellion and corruption. Through this predicament, familiar and new evils rise up to combat the Hero of Time and stop his valiant quest to unite the lands of Hyrule before it's too late.
1. Prologue

_A Hero Comes Home_

_Prologue_

"_Out of the mist of history he'll come again_

_sailing on ships across the sea to a wounded nation__  
_

_signs of a savior like fire on the water_

_it's what we prayed for, one of our own_

_just wait though wide he may roam_

_always, a hero comes home_

_he goes where no one has gone__  
_

_but always a hero comes home_

_deep in the heart of darkness sparks a dream of light__  
_

_surrounded by hopelessness, he finds the will to fight__  
_

_there's no surrender, always remember__  
_

_it doesn't end here, we're not alone_

_just wait though wide he may roam__  
_

_always a hero comes home__  
_

_he goes where no one has gone__  
_

_but always a hero comes home…"_

The vibrant community of Castle Town had begun to die down with the vanishing orange outline of the sun. Shops and market stands were closed up by their keepers, degrading the loud, bickering sounds of auctions and consumer to clerk negotiation. As the sun drew closer and closer to setting, more people disappeared from the central square and into their homes. Children were put to bed, and those who had no families retired to the lusty taverns. These taverns and their bars kept a vibrant ambiance, but the noises from within were so suppressed by the inner and outer walls and surrounding buildings that they were almost mute from the exterior. Before long, a serene darkness covered the skies of Hyrule and invited in the gentle cradle of night. Lights from the houses within the marketplace were dimming in view from up at the gates near Hyrule Castle. Soon, the lights were no more, and the only bright object in view was the great white moon, slowly rising higher into the sky with each passing minute. It was when the moon reached its utmost height that the drawbridge annexed to the castle lowered itself with a loud clanking of chains that surely would've at least alerted those asleep in their homes. From this drawbridge there was a pulsating source of light that was emitted from the interior of the castle. It grew with shadow for a brief moment as a rider rode out onto the pasture in front of the drawbridge. The rider was too youthful to be a knight, and his horse was too youthful to be a mare. It was supposed by anyone who did not know who this youth that he was a mere aspiring courier or a pennywise thief. But as he dismounted and lit his lantern, it became clear that he was neither courier nor thief. The youth was a boy and a blonde, no older than twelve. He wore a strange, bright green tunic that didn't seem to fit with the style of Castle Town citizens or any of civilized Hyrule for that matter. The tunic almost looked too small for him, as the lowest end exposed his skin from the top of his knees down. A belt kept the tunic from dangling down and supported the structure of the lower part, which resembled a skirt. Another belt curved around his right shoulder and his hip, supporting both a shield and a sword on his back. The shield was elegantly emblazoned with the royal family crest and was seemingly made of some kind of steel. The sword was short but decorated. It had a gilded hilt and a child-sized grip that lead down to a blue pommel. The blade itself was sharp, but once again, too short to be capable of any serious destruction. On his feet were two brown boots that were beginning to become too small, and atop his head was a long cap that ended perhaps around the top of his back.

As the hero closed the little door on the lantern, he took his hand and wiped it clean of the oil he had exposed it to. He jerked his hand away immediately as he heard crunching footsteps approaching from behind on the surface of the crisp grass, and turned around to see a familiar and pretty face.

There was a girl now in front of him. She looked to be only slightly older than the rider, who had now straightened his posture upon her arrival. She too was blonde and wore a white gown with a pink tapestry that draped down to the bottom of the dress. The tapestry was decorated with the Hylian royal crest, and a golden belt resided in the middle to keep it from parting with the dress. Around her neck was another piece of jewelry, which had a crimson-red crystal in the center and was forged in a curvy design. It almost resembled an inverted crown. The girl wore golden bracelets around her wrists, and had a cute pink and white headdress that dangled down the back of her neck, but was too short to match the length of the rider's cap. Her skin was a lot paler than the rider, displaying a possible factor of inside isolation. She wore a grand smile across her face that seemed too emotionalized to be real.

The rider opened his mouth, as if to speak, but kept it shut as the girl passed him by and walked over to a nearby rock, where she looked like she would sit down. Instead, she just massaged the rock with her head, and began to hum a tune.

"_Just wait though wide he may roam__  
__always, a hero comes home__  
__he goes where no one has gone__  
__but always a hero comes home…"_

Her voice was so entrancing and beautiful, almost like the lovely tone of a siren. The rider couldn't recognize the lyrics or the rhythm of the song, but he was more than aware about what she was singing about. He wanted to sing or even hum along with her to rid of the gloominess that was settled throughout the song, but knew it wouldn't help her cope with the situation that was at hand.

Suddenly, she stopped singing and rubbing the rock. She looked like she had been holding something in her other hand, and was now holding it close to her heart with both of them. She closed her eyes, breathed in heavily, and then spoke.

"You are already leaving this land of Hyrule, aren't you?" she said with a very noticeable hint of depression.

The rider didn't say a word.

"Even though it was only a short time, I feel like I've known you forever." She continued, turning around to face him. "I'll never forget the days we spent together in Hyrule…"

She took a long blink, and a small gleam appeared in the corner of one of her eyelids. The rider noticed this, but still said nothing. His emotions were prolifically expanding within his body and mind, but they would not allow him to speak.

"And I believe in my heart that a day will come when I shall meet you again…"

Suddenly, her tight grip released on the object in her hands, and the rider was able to take in a small glimpse of what lied between them.

"Until that day comes, please…" she said, "Take this…"

She held out her possession to him. The rider wanted to keep his eyes on her face, which was now streaming tears, but his instinct told him to look down. In her hands was an instrument that was far too reminiscent and significant for him to forget: an ocarina. His mouth opened, but once again, no words came out.

"I am praying…" she told him, looking to the side, "I am praying that your journey will be a safe one."

She looked back at the rider, whilst pulling up the ocarina to her blemished and tear-ridden face. Although sniffling throughout every word, she managed to make out a clear verbal message:

"If something should happen to you, remember this song…"

Her hands then brought the mouthpiece of the ocarina up to her lips, where she whispered a few words before blowing.

"_This reminds me of us…"_

She then began to play slowly and solemnly on the small, blue instrument, vaguely rocking back and forth between beats. It was a song that the rider knew all too well. It was the theme of the great goddess of time and the natural laws of Hyrule. He had played it more than once on that same instrument this girl was playing on now, and had virtually memorized just about every note. It was the Song of Time, a melody innovated by the great Nayru herself. Instead of rocking back and forth like the girl, he simply hummed the tune, closing his eyes to get a greater feel of the music.

She then released the mouthpiece, wiped it, and handed the ocarina to the rider. The boy was hesitant for a moment, but gingerly took the instrument in his hands and looked down at it. It was as light as a feather and a deep blue that was neither chipped nor scratched. It was likely kept in such flawless condition by the gentle girl standing in front of him now.

With approval and encouragement by the girl, he put the mouthpiece between his lips and began to play as well. He slowly rocked back and forth like his predecessor had done, and she began to hum the song just as he had. They both made music in unison for a while, as if time itself had stopped just to take in this invaluable and saddening moment. When the two of them finally stopped, the rider saw that sadly time had not stopped, and that the first rays of the sun were beginning to peek over the distant countryside.

He took his mouth off the tube and deposited it in the compartment of his young horse's saddle. The girl kept her eyes on him the entire time, and when he was finished his gaze fell upon her intense stare and distraught expression.

When all was done, she threw herself upon him and began a long sulk that lasted longer than most tantrums. She cried herself not a river but an ocean, leaving an unforgettable wet spot on the shoulder piece of the rider's tunic. The boy just held her close, still keeping mute but allowing her to release her melancholy.

They parted a while later and the boy mounted his horse. He took her saddened gaze in one last time before he rode off the pasture and down to the main gate of Hyrule Castle, where the iron bars had been parted long before. He soon rode down the road into the Castle, and then disappeared for a while before becoming viewable to the girl as a small black dot riding along the countryside.

As he drifted past the ranch sitting far away in the remote field, the girl clasped her sweaty, red hands together, closed her eyes and whispered to herself:

"The Goddess of Time is protecting you. If you play the Song of Time, she will aid you…"

Opening her eyes, she removed her headdress, revealing short blonde hair that was bedraggled and twisted from her hat. She wiped the tears away from the bottoms of her cheeks, which had created long, red streaks down her face.

She said a few more words to herself before retiring to the castle.

"I'll see you soon, Link."

But she would not see him again for two years.

* * *

A Note from the Author

So what did my audience think? I think I did very well on this prologue. I had a few ideas for a beginning to a story like this, but I thought that this was by far the catchiest and the most emotional.

For those of you who haven't read my unfinished Zelda fanfic, "the Great Destroyer", this will be somewhat of a revamp to that story. Read it if you will, but it's not necessary as I will be adding new events, new characters, and a modified plot. So if any of you have read it, just know that the first few chapters won't be about anything that you read there.

I favor the darker Zelda games, so this story will mainly be focused on an epic and emotional plot and less on comical events. This will take place after Majora's Mask, and will include a good deal of knowledge about Zelda games (in particular, Ocarina of Time, Majora's Mask, Skyward Sword, Wind Waker, and Twilight Princess).

Also, the song "a Hero Comes Home" is actually from the film Beowulf. Look it up on YouTube or somewhere to hear the actual tone. There is the pop version, which was the opening piece at the top, and then the original version which is what Zelda sings.


	2. A Familiar Place, A Familiar Face

_A Familiar Place, a Familiar Face_

From out of the shadows of a dark tunnel and into a green glade a warrior appeared. He sat high and proud his on his mare, who was as every bit as pompous as her rider. The horse's hide was a healthy shade of auburn and the white tufts of her mane looked as smooth and silky as the rays of sunlight that shined through the overhead treetops. The rider himself was just a boy, likely in his teens. He wore a long green stocking cap that ended at the mid-point of his back and a forest tunic that extended down to the tops of his knees. The tunic was green just like the cap and had lightweight chestnut slacks that extended out into the warrior's boots. The boots themselves were a dark brown and had two short flaps that spilled out of the tops. Under his tunic the warrior seemed to be wearing an undershirt that branched out into fingerless gloves on each side. And beneath that was the distinct shimmer of chain mail, which appeared to be peeking out slightly under the shoulder pieces of his tunic as well. Two belts clung to the waist and around the shoulder of the warrior. They supported the structure of his tunic as well as a shield and sword on his back. Although the main blade of the sword could not be seen, it had a ginger-colored grip and a stainless steel cross-guard. The shield had an awfully bizarre appearance. The rim covering the outside was rather simple, with a few notches of gilded steel. The center of it, however, displayed a screaming face made of an unknown glassy material that reflected the lights from above ubiquitously.

The warrior looked up at the bright blue sky that could be seen through the break in the trees above. He took a great inhale of the woodland scents: the chirping of birds, the freshness of the foliage, the body odor of his horse, and the repugnant but peaceful stink of mushrooms. In the middle of the glade he spotted a stout tree trunk. He suddenly but leisurely grabbed at his leg to massage, remembering a time where he had hit himself off of that same trunk. On the far side, next to a squat cliff, he could see another tunnel made out of a hollowed-out log, as well as a short border of shrubbery that led out of the clearing and into a misty, repetitive wood. He narrowed his eyes to see through the other tunnel, and took in the discernible scenery. Large, bisected stumps lead up to what was once a grand entrance to a cave, decorated with large flaps of presumable fungus that glowed even through the bright midday sunlight. A massive tree had fallen through the middle, which cut off any hopes of entering the cave. The warrior could tell this had happened a long time ago, since vegetation and toadstools had already developed on the sides of the fallen trunk and had spread onto the platform of the grotto. Though he displayed some kind of happiness on the outside, he couldn't help but feel guilt and dissatisfaction from within.

"I hope they're all still safe." He said quietly to himself, tightening on the reins of his horse.

The mare suddenly let out an unanticipated cry and reared up. The warrior quickly lashed out to the reins to keep himself from falling off. She must've stayed on two legs for at least half a minute before allowing her hooves to clamp down onto the forest floor.

"Don't worry, Epona." He cooed soothingly, "We're not going back."

He slowly stroked her mane to prevent her from rearing up again, and then slapped her lightly to continue their journey. The mare took no hesitation in doing this, and began trotting off towards the welcoming fog even before her master communicated to do so. As she progressed further towards the woodland entry, the warrior continued to watch the log even after they had passed it and entered the vast mist. An immense sense of distrust prevailed in his emotions.

"Your nightmare is over, Link." He told himself, "Stop being paranoid."

And so he did.

* * *

As the warrior Link came across an inconspicuous group of trees in the forest, he pulled on Epona's reins. The horse halted almost immediately, so to let her rider dismount. He did so gracefully, and landed with a crisp crunch on the surface of the grass. As he proceeded forward to no specific point, he took in another extensive inhale of the forest air. Although the scent was almost precisely the same as before, it prevailed longer in his nostrils, likely due to the existence of a lot more moisture in the air.

He knelt down on one knee into the soft grass, which was tall enough that it passed the length of his boot. He pressed down on one area with his glove, as if taking in the earthen energy that flowed through the veins of the soil. He took his hand off almost immediately and looked around, seeing almost nothing through the dense mist.

"I believe we've found it, Epona." He said to the horse.

Epona made no notable reply, instead scraping her hoof off the ground and tearing out a large clump of dirt.

"This is where it all started."

He turned to his horse with a vague smile, drawing out a scene from his mind when she had reared up and flipped him over. Making a brief, humorous grunt, he turned to the patch of mist behind Epona and stared wide-eyed. The area seemed to darken as he stared into the inconceivable fog, and he envisioned a hunched, sadistic figure making its way through the mist. As the imaginary man approached Link, he turned away and took a deep breath in.

"This place…" he said, staring down into the grass, "… it brings back horrible memories."

He turned back into the direction of his fantastic conjuration with precaution. Though the figure he expected to be there was nowhere in sight, he did manage to see something. A pale face stood in the mist, quite a short distance away. It had eerie, squinted eyes and a wide smile that seemed too expressed to be real. Tufts of ginger hair could be seen near the forehead, although it was difficult to see.

Link's eyes dilated quicker than the bound of a rabbit and he jumped back into Epona. The mare immediately yelped and reared up to show her astonishment. So loud was her shriek that Link's attention was directed from the face to his horse. He was able to move his head out of the way just as her hoof came crashing down with a _thud _on the forest floor.

He breathed heavily, staring at Epona with watchful eyes. She let out a disgruntled puff of air that showed her apathy then began hoofing at the ground again.

A familiar chuckle attracted his attention.

Standing not too far away was a tall, pale man wearing a classy purple trench coat. Much like the face he's seen before in the fog, he had an unconditional smile, squinted eyes, and short red hair. His possession of long ears showed that he was a Hylian or some relative race. Around his neck there was a large golden choker that looked like a myriad of plumes. He also wore two golden bracelets, a pair of purple jester shoes, and an enormous backpack that looked like it weighed as much as Epona. On the backpack, there were mounted masks of all variations. Some of them appeared to be traditional, but most of them were bizarre. The one that attracted Link's attention probably the most was the one he could barely see. It was positioned directly on the other side of the pack, so its front was not in view, but he could discern its heart-shape and protruding spikes.

"Still clumsy, are we?" the man inquired, folding his reddened hands together.

Link felt like he was off in another dimension, but he still answered.

"Apparently." He said, making it simple.

The man let out another burst of uncanny laughter. Link gawked at him with widened eyes. After a few moments of humorous hysteria, he got up from the ground and put on an expression that displayed the least amount of distrust.

"How long have you been following me?" he asked, trying to break this man's hilarity.

The man instantly stopped. For the briefest moment, Link could've sworn that he had a look of diabolic animosity on his face. But even if he had, it had been too quick to have been confirmed, and the boy quickly forgot about it.

"I wouldn't say I've been following you." The man said teasingly, "I have no reason to stalk and prey. My work with you was finished long ago."

Link nodded in acceptance, inconspicuously watching the man reach over to one of the sides of the backpack and pat it harmlessly.

"Are you heading to Hyrule to set up shop again?" he questioned, cocking his head slightly to show interest.

The man's smile widened.

"Set up shop?" he mocked jokily, curving his accent, "If you'd like my fair opinion, I'd say that this land of 'Hyrule' you speak of is just as corrupt as Termina was, if not more."

Link's expression darkened.

"What?" he queried in a shocked tone.

"Maybe not physically as Termina was," the man went on, "But most definitely politically and economically."

Link said nothing.

"Why would I set up my curio shop where it will most likely be monopolized, bankrupted, or butchered?"

"But Hyrule isn't corrupt…" he told him defensively.

The smile was gone.

"Maybe you should do some research on the lands you're visiting, Mr. Link." The man proposed, "So you're not likely to fall into _another_ trap."

Link was now looking at the ground shamefully. When he looked back up, the grand smile had returned with even more ambiance.

"Until we meet again," the man said, taking a bow, "I bid you good tidings."

And before Link could say another word, he was off into the thick mist, his footsteps so soft that neither the crunching of the grass nor the kick of dirt could be heard from his shoes. As the backpack dissolved into obscurity, Link was able to catch a shade of purple and red from the mask he'd been watching before it too faded from sight.

After waiting a couple minutes for no noticeable reason, Link mounted Epona and ordered her forward. As if nothing had happened since their last contact, the mare began casually trotting through the mist, avoiding the trees that swooped into her path.

Though he had kept it to himself, he hoped that he'd never see that _Happy Mask Salesman_ ever again.

* * *

A Note from the Author

I'm going to try and post a chapter of this story at least every week. I may be able to post one twice a week if I don't have too much schoolwork, and maybe even three, but expect one every week. This week I'm running a day late but I hope it will be the only error in posting that I will have until this story is finished.

If you are enjoying this story and want to see it continued, **I do ask for reviews**. Seeing that a number of people have viewed, followed, and favorited this story does persuade me to continue writing, but what makes me write better and harder is the feedback I get. Give me an opinion on the plot so far, and I might make a special change to it. I like criticism and it is welcome, but don't make any vulgar comments.

Finally, I am _assuming_ that anyone reading this story has **finished Majora's Mask**. If you are lost on any of the events so far, read a summary on the story or play the game. That goes for all future chapters. The side-quests in the game are important to this story too, since Majora's Mask has probably the most significant side-quests in any Zelda game.

And yes, that scene in the Prologue was an emotionalized version of the flashback in Majora's Mask.


	3. Usurper

_Usurper_

A long, white hallway flanked a boxed courtyard, bordered on the edge by tall pillars. The pillars stretched up and down to pedestals on each end, with elegant pictures plastered all over the limestone surface. The pictures, although entirely bronze in color and difficult to comprehend, depicted the image of three humanoid figures, each holding up a triangle to the heavens. This image repeated on every pillar in different ways but with the same meaning. The floor of the corridor was entirely made of marble, with equally beautiful designs as on the pillars. However, the pictures inscribed on these were completely abstract, with no apparent meaning to the naked eye. It was on this floor that a young, beautiful woman walked, pacing slowly between the two ends of the hallway. Her eyes, although a lively blue, had no effect on her expression, as she displayed a solemn persona with near-teary eyes. She had long, golden hair that was brushed with such placidity and care that no hairs stood up to defile it. She had pointy ears and her skin, although pale, was red on some parts of her body, exhibiting a rampant emotion of anxiety. On each side of her face, there was a lock of hair that was tied together by yellow string. The string matched the color of her hair so well that almost deemed it inexistent. The woman bore an ornate crown atop her head that clearly showed her position among a royal family and court. It was decorated with so many sapphires, emeralds, rubies, and other indecipherable gems that bore it more than an overstatement of wealth. Over her body was a white dress that covered her feet even when she walked forward. On the underside of the gown were conceptual designs that lead up to three golden triangles linked together near the area of her thighs. She had a purple over-shirt that covered the top portion of the dress, from her collar bone down to her pectorals. Around her arms was white, translucent silk that was adorned with designs here and there. Other golden pieces of jewelry, including shoulder armor, a choker, earrings, and bracelets decorated her, as well as a hidden necklace that dangled into her cleavage.

The woman took a deep breath in and continued her route down the hallway. When she reached a white archway that cut into the row of columns, she turned through it and into the courtyard. A bright sky could now be seen, with patches of cumulus clouds and a great yellow sun. The courtyard was blazoned with sundries of flowers and plants, both exotic and local. Limestone benches and patches of lonely grass were throughout the bright, fruity vegetation, and the woman could spot a line of soldiers carrying out their daily drills. At the moment which she spotted their muskets, she took another unhealthy exhale in, but let it die off with her next breath.

In the middle of the courtyard was a great stone statue that rose up higher than the greatest altitude of the courtyard walls. The statue depicted a much older man, likely of the royal family, mounted on an armored horse. The man held up a tenderizing spear that lead up to a flag. On the surface of the flag, there were again the three triangles. It was this statue to which the woman was attracted to. As she approached, she looked up and studied the features of the statue. Suddenly, her eyes reddened with the beginnings of tears. But before the salty water broke from her eyelids, she turned away, instead pinpointing her vision to a figure walking across the courtyard.

The figure was a man, perhaps a little older than the woman. He as well had long, golden hair, but it had not grown as long as the woman's. His eyes were of the same color as his female adversary, as well as his pale skin tone. The main physical feature they differed in was ears. This man had rounded ears instead of pointy ones. Over his sturdy, masculine torso, he wore a steel suit of armor that was decorated with a red cross that stretched from his collar to the lower end of his chest. He wore a cape that draped all the way down to the top of his steel boots, and up from these boots to his armor were white slacks. Although in a lesser degree than that of the woman, he also wore a look of depression on his face. However, this emotion was more of an outward display than an interior one.

"I had some feeling that you would be out here in the garden." He said, smiling with uncertainty.

The woman gave a grin back, but it was clearly false as well.

"I am of royal blood but I'm also a mortal, Prince Fascade." She told him, "I mourn for those who I have lost just as everyone else does."

She looked back up at the statue, with the strangest aura of sympathy and regret. Her eyes became teary once more, but she didn't turn away. Instead, she continued staring on, and even put a hand on the sculpture man's leg. She rested her head on the torso of the horse, and stroked the leg with pity. The tears strangely died off.

"Please, your Highness, call me Darius." He proposed, kneeling down before the woman. "I desire more than just diplomacy in our relationship."

"What more than diplomacy is there then, Darius?" she asked, using his first name as a gateway to mockery, "I have lost my will to love, as my only loved one has left me to be with the goddesses."

The man made a disgruntled remark at the word "goddesses", but it was too short and too quiet for the noble woman to hear or analyze. Instead, she turned to him, taking her hand away from the statue. She knelt down with the man, picking his chin up to meet with her face. He was clearly lost in her eyes, but she was not lost in his.

_Not yet, that is._

"And you cannot ally with my land of Arcadia if you cannot feel contempt or love for another, Queen Zelda." He countered, meeting with a peeved look from the woman, "For it is love which binds a nation to itself and to others. If you cannot rule with love for your king, then why rule at all?"

He was the first to stand up, and she followed.

"Then you seek a marriage instead of an ally." She predicted, looking into him with a different emotion now, "For what, Darius? Power, more wealth, or treachery? Is there not enough of such things in this world?"

"I beg your pardon, my queen, but I believe it to be of both our benefits," he reasoned, "You seek troops. This we can provide. You seek reunification. This we can provide. You seek protection from Labrynna. This we can provide. You seek technology."

He suddenly turned to soldiers completing their drills, specifically centering his vision on their muskets.

"This we can provide." He continued, looking back at Zelda, "As for my kingdom and for my personal benefit, we will gain a great ally."

Darius leaned closer to the princess, who didn't even flinch.

"And I will have gained the love of my life."

It was then that Zelda pulled back, accidently tripping over the single stone step that led up to the statue. She tried to catch herself on an empty void of air, flapping her arms to show her surprise and desperation. Although she didn't scream as she fell, she almost did when Fascade reached out and caught her as she was falling down.

With his hand around her waist, and her eyes staring up at his, she was at his mercy. But only after a few seconds of blatant staring, he pulled her up and let her go. She teetered for a second, but regained her balance almost immediately. It was at this moment that she had begun to notice the prince in ways that she hadn't. Instead of using a harsh voice, she dimmed it down to the softest tone she'd ever used.

"For your concern, Darius," she told him, "There have been many younger princesses and princes than I that have come to the throne of Hyrule. Though I am a mere sixteen years, I can handle myself and my kingdom with no help."

Darius narrowed his eyes, as if in doubt of what she was saying.

"But for both our sakes," she said, sighing, "I shall take this marriage into consideration."

He made an obvious smile, watching her as she began to inconspicuously slip away to one of the hallways bordering the courtyard. She was below one of the archways when she finally turned away and stared at him with her icy blue eyes.

"For now, Darius, I shall consult with my advisors." She said, "Seek out my royal guard if you wish to speak with me in person again."

He bowed to her, placing his hand beneath his body to show his sincerity. When he arose, he folded both of his hands together and let them dangle down. His smile had grown even wider, so much that it even made the queen smirk.

"I will be done, your Highness." He told her, "I do hope you agree to this marriage."

She nodded, and disappeared into the hallway. When she reached a corner of the courtyard, she turned back and saw that Prince Fascade had already left the area, perhaps retiring to his quarters. There was also a woman hiding behind one of the courtyard pillars, but she did not heed her presence until she had left the area.

"You cannot possibly agree to this, Zelda!" a voice called.

Zelda turned around to see the woman, who was clearly much older than her, quickly approaching her from down the hall. Her hair was light gray, so tinted that it was only a shade short of being considered white. She had striking red eyes that allowed a constant emotion of seriousness to remain in her gaze. Her skin was much darker than Zelda's, and muscular limbs showed off her athletic body, clearly superior to the youthful queen's. She wore a skimpy suit of cerulean armor that merely covered the surfaces of her shoulders, her forearms, her thighs, and her shins. Another piece, which was made of thick steel, covered her torso and was supported by leather straps that wrapped around the circumference of her body. This armor displayed an indefinite representation of the hidden portion of her torso, and it supported a thin black choker that presented a strange picture below her neck. The picture was of an eye with a great, long tongue that dangled down and taunted. Anyone would've been given the impression that this woman was part of some cult. As she came closer, her height became easier to comprehend. She towered over Zelda.

"I will not let you marry that man!" she told the queen, cutting into her path.

Both of them crossed their arms and stared at each other with uncertainty for a time with no words spoken. Zelda finally broke the silence with an imperative sentence.

"You don't make the decisions in this court, Impa." She spat, "I do."

"Of course, my queen," the elder woman said, leaning forward towards Zelda, "But I am your highest advisor, and as such, my job is to prevent you from jeopardizing this broken country with your _inexperience_."

Zelda wasn't going to take _that_ insult.

"Inexperience?" she mocked, "I'll have you know that if it wasn't for me, there wouldn't even be a nation that would consider allying with us, perhaps not even pity us!"

Impa stared her down, not even flinching as the young queen spat out her argument.

"It is not the lack of help that I'm concerned about, Zelda," she said, informally addressing the royal woman, "It's the man and the country he represents. Arcadia is a distant land, with exotic people and exotic customs. Even if he offers troops to aid our cause, they could take weeks getting here, perhaps even _months_! And don't even get me started with their religion. By Din, I have not known a nation since Holodrum that has worshipped less than three gods, and never before in my entire life have I known a nation that worships only one _God_."

Zelda's expression faded to something that displayed much less aggression. Instead of anger, she instead cast a look depicting worry. With one of her clothed hands, she reached out and touched one of Impa's arms. The older woman suddenly released the tension that had built up along her body, and put one of her hands on Zelda's shoulder with equally tender care. She knelt down so that she could be at eye level with the queen.

"Religion should not be the deciding factor for the alliance of one to another." Zelda told Impa quietly, "Everyone is entitled to their own beliefs. If _I_ had set the standards for the first Hyrule, I surely would've procured some kind of religious tolerance."

She breathed in.

"Clearly, it's too late for that now. Everyone worships the goddesses."

Taking her other hand, she pinched the binding of her concealed necklace and pulled it out of her dress, showing it off to Impa. It was a single golden triangle, so shiny and pure in element that it almost blinded both of them when she took it out.

"Even I do." She continued, looking down at the necklace, "But we can't let the chains that bind us together isolate us from the rest of the world. It is not through us but through others that we find knowledge and discover the truth."

Upon finishing her statement, Impa looked as if she would say something, but was interrupted when Zelda continued, this time with an even more passionate voice.

"And perhaps that such a marriage will work out after all. Perhaps Fascade will become a better monarch than I'll ever be. And maybe someday, when this war with Labrynna and these revolutions are all over with, I'll learn to love again."

Although unnoticeable to herself, she now had an overwhelming feeling of desperation spread over her face. Impa smiled at her.

"I believe you will make the right choice, your Highness." She said simply, "You are wise like your father."

And with that a kiss on the forehead, she departed, disappearing down the hallway in the direction from whence she came. Zelda did not turn around, for she knew that if she did, there would be no one there. Like all Sheikah, Impa was a shadow.

When it was apparent that Impa was no longer in her presence, she allowed her guilt to pour out.

"I just hope I can be as brave as my father."

* * *

A Note from the Author

First of all, I'd like to proudly admit that I posted a chapter on time.

Secondly, there are a few things and bits of side information that I'd like to fill the audience in on. The most prevalent of these is Prince Fascade. If you have ever watched the Zelda cartoon series (and if you haven't, you're not missing much) you will have noticed that this is actually the same exact name of the prince in the episode, "the White Knight". Though the cartoon series is not considered as canon to the franchise or the timeline, I think it would be fun to makeover this character. He is quite important to the plot of this story.

Also, you may have noticed that Zelda is sixteen at this point in time. At the time of the first chapter (two years earlier) you probably also noticed that Link was around twelve years old at the time. This would've made Zelda fourteen. For your information, I am making Zelda slightly older than Link, mainly due to her position as queen (I didn't want to make Link older than he was). So Link is actually around fourteen or fifteen years though. For those who are concerned with the impossibility of romance, don't be. Relationships between two differing ages are legal and rampant in today's society and especially during the medieval times. This does mean then that Prince Fascade could be eighteen, nineteen, or even twenty. But I'm leaving that up to your interpretation.

Lastly, this story will be following (at my best) the official Zelda timeline. This is more popularly known as the **Hyrule Historia**. If you are not familiar with this timeline, then please read on it. I don't think it requires any more than a short look over the line of games.

I may be adding to the chapter **A Familiar Place, A Familiar Face**, but I haven't decided yet.


	4. Atticus

_Atticus_

Link was able to reach Kokiri Forest by nightfall. As the sun took its last few paces on the orange horizon, Epona padded her way out of the tunnel and onto a ledge that overlooked the entire village. Dismounting from the horse, Link took a wide gander around at the familiar sod houses which served as the Kokiri's residences. They all proved to be as worthless as ever, and some had already begun to leak from ancient wounds. Yet, Link felt as if this was still home.

"Come now," he said to Epona, "let's go see Saria."

Holding the horse by the reins, Link quietly and carefully descended the winding path that led down from the overlook. By the time he arrived at the level of the village, the sunset had disappeared behind the treetops and swirled the dark cloak of night over the forest. Link removed the brass lantern hanging from Epona's saddle and wound the key at its base to switch it on. With a bright light now emitting from the interior, he returned the lantern to the saddle and began walking Epona down the dirt road that ran through the heart of Kokiri Forest.

As Link passed houses, he noticed that all were lifeless. None bore the distinct luminescence of candles or the thick scent of an evening barbeque. The Kokiri themselves were nowhere to be found outside of their homes, and it was unlikely that all of them were cowering in the darkness from Link's insidious return. Link wondered if they were praying at the Great Deku Tree, but he quickly decided that those rituals were far too irrational to be conducted. The only other possibility would be that they were throwing a surprise party for him. But Mido was not one for big celebrations, especially those commemorating his least favorite fairy boy. He would not allow such a party to be assembled, or thought of for that matter.

Link stroked Epona's mane as they traveled further down the dirt road. A strange sensation pressured him to turn at one point. Once they had altered course, Link saw that he was heading down the road to his old tree house. It was not a very long road, but it hooked off from the main path and set him apart from the rest of the Kokiri houses.

He unfastened the lantern once again and aimed it at the house. The ladder had long since rotted away and left him no sane way of getting up. Huffing at the predicament, he placed the lantern on the ground and made his way over to the gnarled roots of the tree. With little hesitation, he ran up the trunk of the tree and grabbed hold of a sturdy branch. Thankfully, the branch held well and allowed him to pull the rest of his body up over the branch. When he was able to maintain a standing position on the branch, the balcony of the tree house came in reach. He distrusted its primordial foundation, and instead looked around for another branch to grab onto. Sadly, there was none within his general area. The closest branch was high above him, perhaps ten feet. He knew that his arm could not extend to that length. But he knew something that could.

Putting two fingers to his lips, he whistled to Epona. The horse came trotting over almost immediately. He stroked her nose to show appreciation, and then grabbed one of the larger satchels hanging on her saddle. It took him almost no time to find what he was looking for: his old hookshot. Though it had once been brazen, the hookshot now bore a repulsive green color that was chipping apart to reveal a brown undertone. Despite its contemptible appearance, it would have to do. Throwing the satchel aside, Link aimed the hookshot at the high branch and placed his finger over the trigger.

"For Din's sake don't break on me." He told the hookshot, pulling its trigger.

With blinding speed, a chain ejected from the interior of the hookshot and split directly through the branch. The sharp end of the chain appeared to lock itself in place, and Link felt like cheering.

Now came the difficult part. Balancing once on the chain to verify its stability, Link began to climb his way up the metal circlets. When he reached the general height of the balcony, he threw one foot out and placed it on the railing. He tapped it twice to check if it was safe. A loud creak was heard following each tap, but Link was too lazy to care. Letting go of the chain, he jumped onto the balcony and panted. He smiled to himself and made his way toward the obscure doorway. Three steps later, the entire balcony collapsed.

Link's hands shot out to grab the bottom of the doorway just as the wooden planks gave way. The collapse kicked up a deep cloud of dust that shrouded the already shrouded night. He heard Epona shriek below him, but he assumed it was in reaction to her own safety, and not his. Frankly, he wasn't surprised that the balcony had just buckled. Considering his sluggishness, he probably deserved it.

Thinking no more on the matter, Link pulled himself up into the tree house and slithered his way to a stable position. He threw up one arm up onto a nearby table for support and attempted to stand up. Instantly, he slipped and fell on his rear. As he rubbed his aching tailbone, he noticed something on the table: a mask.

He sat upright to see the face of the mask, stretching his tense back. His eyes gazed over its surface and widened. Instinctively, his leg beamed out from underneath and toppled over the table. The streams of blood in his veins froze, and a tingling sensation crept up his back. He drove himself into the nearest wall and stared at the table, knowing what lurked behind its menacing figure.

"How?" he said quietly, "How did you tumble back into my life? What makes it your personal business to meander my life around dark corners like these? Why can't you just leave me alone?"

"Because that is what sins do." A voice echoed from behind the table, "They are a part of you. And, essentially, you are a part of them. They cannot be destroyed, lest you be destroyed along with them. They can be tamed, and that is why I am here now."

"You've come to me in order to be tamed?"

"No," said the voice, "I have come to tame you."

Link chuckled in disbelief, leaning his head against the side of the tree house. He removed his cap for comfort, but never kept his eyes off the table that rested in pieces on the other side of the room.

"I cannot forgive myself for the sins I have committed." He admitted, "Not even if they were done by your power."

"Taming entitles no forgiveness." The voice said, "To start fresh, one must forget the past. Forgiving it is an entirely different matter."

"How do I know I can trust you?"

An ugly laugh arose from the back of the room.

"You don't," the voice laughed, "It is your choice to do so, and it is therefore your fault to trust the wrong individual. But know this: if you have any desire to save this land you have returned to, then my power is more than likely to help."

"Save?" said Link, cocking his head, "From what?"

But the voice did not answer as it did before. Feeling drawn to the warning, Link crawled over to the table. Without looking, he reached behind the hefty splinters of wood and began to search blindly for the mask. It didn't take him long to find it.

As he pulled the mask over the remains of the table, a loud voice called out.

"Is anybody there?" it called. Judging by its pitch, the source was a man.

Link sensed that the voice came from outside. He swiftly gathered a few personal items left in the tree house and shoved them into a satchel along with the mask. Throwing the satchel over his back, he stepped out of the doorway, almost forgetting that the balcony no longer existed. A man was standing by Epona, illuminated by the lantern that Link had left on the forest floor. He was a soldier.

"Do you live here?" he asked, pointing at the tree house.

Link looked back for a moment.

"Once," he replied, "but not now."

Before the soldier could say anything, Link leaped off the edge of the doorway and followed through with a graceful somersault on the dirt. Now that he was on the ground, he could see the man a lot better.

He had a militant posture with almost no evasiveness in his spine. Though he was definitely a soldier, his garments were unlike what a Hylian soldier was expected to wear. They were lightweight and without metallic plating, as if he expected to never be cut in combat. Link had only seen a few armies equipped with this armoring system. Holodrum's small but working military were equipped with muskets, which easily overwhelmed armor plates. Therefore, it was illogical to wear these heavy armors if they were not effective in warfare. This soldier had a musket slung over his back, and Link assumed that Hyrule had joined in on the technological revolution.

As far as his physical appearance went, Link determined him to be rather handsome. He had dirty blonde hair like Link, but it was cut nearly to the point of annihilation. His face, bearing deep blue eyes, was cleanly shaved and impressively tan. It constantly conceived a serious expression, but Link could see that his personality was not austere. Of course, he was a lot taller than Link, estimating at perhaps six feet. Considering what he'd stood up to before, Link had no problem with confronting the soldier at close range.

"What is your name?" Link asked, walking over to Epona.

"Atticus." the soldier said, tentatively, "Atticus Ashei. And you?"

"Link."

Atticus seemed to ponder on the name, if only for a moment.

"If you don't live here," he said, "then what are you doing here?"

"What's it to you?" Link retorted, "My business is none of your concern."

Annoyed, Link adjusted the scavenged satchel onto Epona's saddle and mounted her. He prepared to whip at the reins, but Atticus stopped him.

"Listen," he said, "this is a dangerous place. It appears that I cannot stop you from your dealings, but at least heed my notice."

Link was suddenly interested.

"What's dangerous about Kokiri Forest?" he inquired.

Atticus stared at him for a moment, skeptically.

"Gerudo scouts." He finally answered, "They're in every nook and cranny of Hyrule that isn't Castle Town. If they spot any defenseless Hylian, they'll kill and scalp him."

Link couldn't believe what he was hearing.

"Gerudos," he said, "in the Lost Woods? When did this start happening?"

"You clearly haven't been to Hyrule in a while." Atticus inferred, "Because this has been happening for a year now."

"Why? What happened?"

Atticus looked around, motioning to keep silent. Link glanced around at the dark trees that surrounded them, and began to fear the hazards they could host. When Atticus had taken long enough, he spoke again.

"The damn Arcadians happened." He said angrily, "They waltz into our kingdom like the proper humbugs they are and expect the queen to relinquish control."

Link was confused at first, but his mind sparked when Atticus talked about the queen.

"But the worst of all," said Atticus, "is that she lets them. What powerful leader allows her country to fall without a fight?"

"So Hyrule is occupied?" Link asked, horrified.

Atticus sighed with a heavy breath.

"Thankfully not," he said, relieving Link, "but it feels like it. The Arcadians have endowed the country with this ludicrous _look but don't touch_ policy with the Gerudos. They've labeled them as rebels, nothing more. The only enemy they're concerned about is Labyrnna, and Labyrnna isn't even an enemy."

"Rebels?" Link questioned, "The Gerudos weren't even considered Hylian citizens two years ago. What makes them so special now?"

"A better question is what makes everyone so special now. The Arcadians assumed that the borders of Hyrule extended to the Zoras, the Gorons, the Kokiri, and the Gerudos. None of them liked that one bit."

Link narrowed his eyes, pondering the situation. He dismounted Epona. The need to be informed was overwhelming him at this point.

"I can imagine it would be too much for some of them." He said.

"More than too much, actually." Atticus replied, "The Gorons threatened to attack Kakariko Village when Hylian soldiers arrived to take over Death Mountain. The Zoras sealed off the entrance to the Domain in a similar instance. And the Kokiri…"

He extended his hand to the ghostly Kokiri Forest.

"Military subjugation was too much for them." He finished, "They left over six months ago, bound for a new home in the south."

Link perused the dirt ground for a moment, kicking at a blade of grass for some momentary emotion. Atticus could tell exactly what he was musing over.

"They were your family, yes?" he assumed.

"Yes." said Link, almost immediately, "So there is nothing left here for me now."

Atticus's face brightened up.

"Join our cause, then." He offered.

Link turned to him, bearing an expression that labeled Atticus insane.

"After everything you just told me about Hyrule," he said, "why the hell would you want me to join the army?"

Atticus smiled, and suddenly began to laugh.

"You think," he said, chuckling between words, "that just because I look like a soldier that I am one? That's rich."

Link looked him over curiously.

"Then what are you?" he asked.

"It's simple," said Atticus, "I'm a rebel."

"For what?"

Atticus paused, as if for effect.

"For overthrowing the Hylian monarchy, of course."

* * *

A Note from the Author

After many months, I've finally gotten chapter five up on this story. I hope I didn't lose too many fans from my absence, but it's inevitable that I lost a few. Nevertheless, I am glad to be writing this story again, and I plan to finish it out. I will try to post a chapter every Saturday, as that is the most convenient time for me. If I can finish a chapter earlier, then that will count as my chapter for that week. It is also possible that I will be able to post two per week, but that's highly unlikely.

For future reference, I may be absent for another long period of time. Though I hope it will never be as long as this, I do ask that you stay alert for my return. This story has gone through too much planning to be forgotten on my agenda. Unless I remove the story, it is still being written.

If any of you have previously read this story, then you are no doubt wondering why the old chapter four was replaced. I had introduced the enemy's intentions too sloppily, and that the writing technique I used had interfered with the ferocity of those villains. Also, I decided to reformulate the villains in this story, and that chapter was preventing me from following through with those intentions.

Stay tuned for another chapter next week!


End file.
